do you ever wonder...
 

...after you've completed a big job, whether or not you remembered EVERYTHING?

Like, you've had the car completely apart for months, and days after getting it back on the road you're suddenly wondering (while driving at highways speed) whether you fully tightened all the lugnuts?

I did a head swap on my Frankendiesel 4Runner this winter. Bought a crack free (rare) rebuilt head from a guy in SC. Had it shipped... cast iron, not cheap. By the time I had gaskets and everything, I was in for about a grand. Worked on it for a weekend straight, buttoned it up at 2am and fired it up. Worked like a champ.

I remember the next day, thinking "hmm, I wonder if I tightened down all the valve adjustment nuts. Then I forgot. Then I remmbered about a month later, but by then I had been driving it a lot so I just figured if they'd been loose, I'd have known by now. Was too busy/lazy to have look.

So...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1281928610.jpg

I think it's gonna be pretty ugly inside. I was driving at highway speed when it started "ticking" then clacking, then it made a big CLANG and a magical puff of multi-colored smoke, then the tires locked up. All in about 2-3 seconds

:(:(:(:(:(:(

Oooopsssssssssss...................

Bummer!!!!

That "did I forget something" feeling sucks, but it could be worse: Could've been a bike!!

I'll be happy if the cylinder isn't totally fuched.

I'm hoping that the cast-iron head was tough enough to avoid getting trashed. If not, I have the old head, which I can have planed. If the piston is bashed to bits, I can get a full set (good used) w/rings for $75.

Best case scenario is finding I just have to put in a new valve. 2nd best is just swapping the head. If I have to pop a piston out, that's OK, but I DO NOT want to pull the engine. Don't know what I'll do if that is what's needed

Never wondered about something that I forgot until I had a reminder. Like the weird thumping only while driving straight after a rush brake job. Yeah they were loose.

Or the time I had the body off my jeep. Sandblasted and coated the frame, did the top end, fabbed and ran new lines etc... My buddy Tim is by one day helping out with tuning after the body was back on. He notices the collar for the steering column laying in my tool chest.

"You'd better put that back on before you forget about it?

I'm not going not forget it, relax.

After all the work is done the damn thing won't shift out of first so up on the flatbed and off to the tranny shop it goes.

Tranny shop calls me.

"It was just a dirt governor, come get it. But the steering is all f'd up. I took it out on a test drive and when I went to make a U back to the shop the damn thing kept going straight. I drove over someones lawn and nearly took down their fence. Thought I was gonna die. Looks like the steering column collar is missing."

Uh, yeah, thanks for letting me know. I'll make sure to stop and pick one up.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

right! that's why I'll never own a self-maintained gyrocoptor!

Heck, I won't even work on the outboard for my sailboat. Nothing worse than second guessing your work as you drift silently in a strong current. Ask me how I know

lol, good stuff

Let us know how it works out.....

will do

Problem is I am so busy this time of year, I really don't have time for this stuff. swapping the head... maybe popping a piston I can do, but anything more and it will have to wait until the snow flies. If it's real bad I may have to just ditch it.

Plan C would be something like this:
1982 Toyota Land Cruiser DIESEL BJ60 - City of Toronto Cars & Vehicles For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.

Dude! A blessing in disguise, I'd be all over that Cruiser! Make that "plan A". Once you get hooked on TLC's you'll never go back...

Ouch...sorry to hear...to answer your question "yes..I always wonder if I tightened this or that, torqued, greased, installed properly etc etc...I am paranoid and always second guess myself, which is not good...I have been known to get up at 2am and double check head torque"..it is a sickness.

To quote a freind "there is no f*ckng like a self f*ckng"

I just rebuilt the rear suspension on my 911. I screwed up on the math somehow for the rear suspension. The first time I put it on the ground it looked like a cat in heat. At least you know who to blame.

Jake, I feel your pain. Did a tire rotation on the Jeep Grand Cherokee a few years ago. Was getting on along twilight and my wife calls me into the house for something or another. Came back out of the house and it was getting dark so I finished up and put all the tools away. Apparently I had forgotten I had only hand tightened the lug nuts on the front passenger side wheel. I discovered this when I was driving down the road and the wheel came off. Fortunately I wasn't going that fast.

Whenever I remove my wheels I put a torque wrench in the drivers seat. When I go to sit down it is a great reminder to torque the lugs.

Good idea with the reminder.

The double-check thing happened with my first bike back in high school. I had just gotten it back from a shop for a $250 valve adjustment, and it suddenly stopped running while riding on a slow road.
After spending an afternoon pushing it up and down hills several miles(Honda 750 with full Vetter fairing and full gas tank), I decided to take a look. Didn't know squat about mechanics, but ventured enough to take off the inspection caps and saw the adjusting nut missing.

My father helped with the second phone call.
The shop was (cough) very resistant to fix their mistake, and promised to bill me for all associated costs if, and when, they determined it was not their fault.
There was no apology for potentially causing a fatal accident.

That was one of the biggest inspirations in life in learning how to just change oil. A (worthless)ASE master mechanics certification eventually followed.
Heck, if someone was going to screw it up it would be me. The labor saved probably equals a garage full of tools and a mountain of parts.

The tires locked up and you think there will be something left ? You are an optimist.

Good luck on this.

The tires locked up and you think there will be something left ? You are an optimist.

Good luck on this.

Not really, I'm hoping that the crank isn't fuched. If I can get away with a piston, conrod swapping the head, I could easily do that in a weekend. Anything more than that and it will be sidelined for a while


You got that right... I'm a professional optimist

BTDT The conversation went something like this:

Doing the final install on a new 911 motor.

Tim: Hey Dave, did you remove kimwipe from the breather hose opening?
Dave: I don't think so.
Tim: Well it's not there anymore, I think it got pushed into the engine
Dave: You sure?
Tim: Ya
Dave: Well it's not there now, don't worry about it.

30 minutes elapse and the car fires up..
chug, chug, chug, chug WHOMF!!!!, chug chug chug.

Tim(behind the wheel) Dave??, what was that??
Dave: I dunno but's ok now.


4 hours later after tearing down the motor for an oil pressure issue we find said kimwipe... shoved between 2 main bearing webs. afterwards he said the whole motor torqued about 5 inches.